Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Exactly. I was and I have seen both sides of the world. I grew up in a privileged part of this city but my children went to school in rural Ireland and I know the success that they and their cohort had from the small schools. This is exactly the point I was going to make to the Minister. If I go to the leafy suburbs of south County Dublin, some 70% to 75% of school children might get to third level. If, however, we go to Cherry Orchard and Ballymun and such areas one would be lucky to get 20% progressing from these areas, having put in vast resources. However, if one goes to rural Ireland, one finds that it compares well with the top areas in Dublin in respect of access to third level with in excess of 70% of school children getting to third level because of the educational values of the parents in rural Ireland.

The Minister is trying to kill the successful communities and he does not realise what he is doing. If the Minister does not realise what he is doing, I beg him to find out because, as I have pointed out, rural depopulation follows the closure of the small school. Anyone not familiar with that syndrome should make themselves familiar with it.

I wish to comment on two other issues. In this country we have always said that we have treated our minorities in a fair and equitable way. Like the Minister, I grew up in an area with a large number of people of the Church of Ireland faith and I am absolutely surprised and stunned at this attack on the Church of Ireland community in Ireland. All the Protestant communities have small schools throughout the country, the largest being the Church of Ireland but there are Presbyterian and other schools as well. I am surprised at the Minister, who has always said he is open and tolerant, taking the big stick against these schools.

Maidir le na scoileanna Gaeltachta, tá dualgas ar an Rialtas i leith na Gaeilge. Is dualgas bunreachtúil é agus is dualgas é an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú agus a fhorbairt. Muna dtaitníonn sin leis an tAire, tá sé chomh maith aige dul agus reifreann a rith, mar an fhad agus go bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar céad teanga oifigiúil agus mar theanga náisiúnta sa Bhunreacht, dar leis na hArd-Aighní gur dualgas ar an Stát an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú agus a neartú. Leis an ionsaí atá an tAire ag déanamh ar na scoileanna Gaeltachta, tá sé ag iarraidh an Ghaeltacht mar atá sí a scrios. Tá go leor brúnna ar an Ghaeltacht ar ndóigh mar atá cúrsaí i láthair na huaire, ach tá an tAire ag cur le na brúnna sin. Tá sé in am ath-smaoineamh a dhéanamh ar an pholasaí sin freisin agus déanamh cinnte go dtugtar tacaíocht agus cúnamh agus go bhfágfar na scoileanna beaga Gaeltachta, cuid acu atá sna Gaeltachtaí is láidre sa tír, le na múinteoirí atá acu.

Ba bhreá liom go leor eile a rá anseo anocht, ach faraor géar, níl an t-am agam mar tá an oiread sin daoine as Fianna Fáil ag iarraidh labhairt ar an ábhar seo. Tá botún mór á dhéanamh má cheapann an tAire, Páirtí an Lucht Oibre agus muintir Fhine Gael go ndéanfaidh pobal na tuaithe dearmad ar seo. Ní dhéanfaidh siad dearmad ar choíche agus seasfaidh siad an fód agus troidfidh siad in aghaidh na gcinntí seo.

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